Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, Archbishop of Onitsha Catholic Archdiocese, has dismissed Rev. Fr. Magnus Ebere, a clergyman claiming to be of Roman Catholic stock, for claiming that Igbo people always dominate in any church they attend.
Ebere, the founder of Canaanland Adoration Ministries, was reacting to the news that a Catholic priest in Lagos had forbidden Igbo music from being sung in church, alleging that Igbos like dominating in any Catholic parish they find themselves in.
In a viral video, Ebere stated that Igbo people do indeed dominate in their churches, claiming that they were created to do so and will continue to do so in whichever church they enter.
But, in a press release issued in response to the film, Bishop Okeke renounced Ebere, stating unequivocally that, although using the title "reverend father," he was not a Catholic priest, was not under his guidance, and his ministry was not operating under the authority of the Catholic Church.
"He is not a priest of the Archdiocese of Onitsha and has no faculties or rights to operate within the Archdiocese of Onitsha," Most Rev. Okeke said of Fr. Ebere's ministry.
"Rev. Fr. Magnus Ebere worsened and inflamed the problem by ignorantly affirming the accusation that the suspended priest hurled against the Igbos," the Archbishop added in response to Ebere's claims.
"In his now-viral video, Fr. Magnus Ebere made a number of unchristian remarks that need to be publicly rebuked. As a result, we categorically reject and condemn statements like "Igbos are Igbos, wherever we are, we are dominion." "If Igbos are removed from the Catholic Church in Lagos, there will be no church there," and so on. This is not the Catholic Church's position in Igboland."
Most Fr. Ebere's ethnocentric statement, according to Rev. Okeke, sounded like it came from a psychiatric patient. "The Catholic Church is not a tribal organisation, and it should not be made to appear that way." The Catholic Church and the Igbos do not agree with Fr. Ebere's position.
"We once again warn the faithful of our Archdiocese that Fr. Magnus Ebere's activities and teachings are hazardous, deceptive, and contrary to their faith." Anyone who takes part in Nnobi's illicit operations does so at their own risk. Any Catholic who accepts his erroneous beliefs is acting outside of the Catholic Church's historic and legitimate doctrines.
"We also openly warn Fr. Magnus Ebere to cease all illegal ministries at Nnobi immediately." If he is a true Catholic priest, as he says, he will need the diocesan bishop's permission to carry out any type of ministry in the Onitsha Archdiocese. No such abilities have been bestowed to him in the past or now. Please be advised.
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